The Springboard programme is an award-winning international development programme, specifically designed for women from all backgrounds, ages and at various stages in life and careers – open to all staff who identify as women, in academic and professional services roles.

About Springboard

Springboard is a personal development programme for women, who want to develop further in their career, in which participants are encouraged to look at all aspects of their lives.

It offers participants the opportunity to undertake a substantial review of their work and personal life, and take more control by making good quality decisions about the right way forward. It can help participants shape the change they want in practical and realistic ways; by reflecting on their goals, developing their strengths, and practicing skills such as assertiveness, goal setting and workplace coaching.

The programme is run by our by our external consultant who has substantial experience of working with academic and professional staff on leadership and personal development. She is certified in counselling, coaching and mentoring. The programme is designed to create a productive and collegial learning environment to support workplace goals and ambitions.

If you are an early career researcher you may want to consider UNIque which is designed specifically for women researchers at the early career stage.

Why is Springboard for women only?

Extensive research in a variety of organisations show that:

• Women and men approach personal development issues in different ways
• Women and men benefit from discussing some issues in a single gender group
• Women are significantly underrepresented in HEI leadership and management roles.

Springboard in open to all staff who identify as women in accordance with the Queen Mary Trans Inclusion Statement of Commitment.

Interested Applicants

If you are interested in participating in the Springboard programme please check you can attend all the dates below and have time to engage with the workbook and peer coaching between sessions. As with most development, you will need to be proactive to get the most out of the course – being clear about your own aims is the first step.

Please note the programme will be delivered via a mix of in person, face to face (F2F) sessions being held at Dept W and online sessions. Please ensure you are able to commit to attending the F2F sessions.

Please email a completed Springboard application form 2023 [DOC 63KB] to hr-equality@qmul.ac.uk and include 'Springboard 2023' in the subject line.

You will need to submit your application by the deadline of 28th February 2023 at 5.00pm.

2023 dates: 

1. Getting Started – 9th March 2023 9.30am-4.30pm (In person, Dept W)

2. Introduction to Coaching Skills – 14th March 2023, 12.30pm-4.00pm (Online via Zoom)

• • Peer Coaching (2 hours – an hour each way, time to be agreed with your coaching partner)

3. Knowing Yourself – 28th March 2023, 10.00am-4.00pm (Online via Zoom)

• • Peer Coaching (2 hours – an hour each way, time to be agreed with your coaching partner)

4. Being the Authentic You – 26 April, 9.30am-4.30pm (In person, Dept W)

• • Peer Coaching (2 hours – an hour each way, time to be agreed with your coaching partner)

5. Assertiveness – 1st June 2023, 10.00am-4.00pm (Online via Zoom)

• • Peer Coaching (2 hours – an hour each way, time to be agreed with your coaching partner)

6. Where do we go from here? – 27th June 2023, 9.00am-4.30pm (In person, Dept W)

• • Peer Coaching (2 hours – an hour each way, time to be agreed with your coaching partner)

For further information please email: hr-equality@qmul.ac.uk

Programme Feedback

“The programme has provided me with a more positive outlook that will allow me to understand what I can change/influence and provided me with tools to help do this.”

“Every guest speaker was extremely inspiring and hearing their stories in full from their perspective was extremely useful.”

“It was a wonderful experience spending a multi-day training course solely in the company of women, it was a very considerate and supportive atmosphere.”

“Springboard has helped me recognise that making time for myself is actually time for my work as it puts me in a better place to be able to deal with my work.”